Backroads Voted World's Best by Travel+Leisure. Join us for the ultimate in five-star adventure. With over three decades of experience, Backroads offers unparalleled biking, walking and multisport vacations.

Details for Backroads California Bike Tours

Active Adventure

Backroads: Join us for the ultimate in five-star adventure. With over two decades of experience, Backroads offers unparalleled biking, walking and multisport vacations featuring inspiring routes, the finest lodging and cuisine, the best leaders and unique cultural encounters. Daily activity options allow you to personalize your vacation experience. At day’s end you’ll be indulged, whether you stay in elegant French chateaux, sumptuous Balinese villas or stylish wine country retreats. Trips for all fitness levels, from Easy to Epic, exclusive departures for families and solo travelers, deluxe camping itineraries and multisport vacations featuring kayaking and rafting.

Typical Day

We understand that there’s a time to play and a time to recharge. On a Backroads vacation, you choose what to do and when to do it. How fast to go and when to slow down. If you seek more mileage, let us guide you to the most scenic routes. Does one more hilltop town entice? We’ll lead you to some exquisite gems. Would you rather spend a relaxing afternoon in town? We know the best cafes, boutiques and village squares to soak up local flavor. We understand that perfection is defined individually. That’s why we’re committed to letting flexibility navigate your journey.

So enjoy as much or as little activity as you like. Explore on your own or in the company of others. Enjoy one more caffe latte before heading out for the day. Take the time to snap photos along the way. Hop in the shuttle to enjoy an afternoon by the swimming pool. Or stay put in your hammock with a good book. Welcome to our idea of the perfect vacation—yours.

Age range, type of group

Family TripsOur special combination of kid-size routes and activities makes Backroads Family Trips the ideal way to get away…together. Designed exclusively for families, our trips play to a kid's natural curiosity and quest for fun with plenty of outdoor activities and interesting diversions. Like exploring the Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm in Costa Rica or building a model boat at the Viking Museum in Denmark. And plenty of opportunities for quality family time.

Solo TripsTravel with us and you’ll find it’s not just where you go that makes each trip so special, but who you share the journey with. What brings unique individuals together on a Backroads Solo Travelers trip is a shared appreciation for outstanding quality, a spirit for adventure and exploration and a passion for fun. You’ll travel with those who share your cadence, stride and interests, as well as those who enrich your experience with different perspectives.

Private TripsWhether you’re celebrating a special occasion with your extended family, rewarding colleagues for a job well done, or simply wanting to share the trip of a lifetime with some of your closest friends, a Backroads Private Trip is the ultimate way to enjoy effortless travel. Give one of our expert Trip Consultants a call to find out how you can make any one of our itineraries your own Private Trip.

Sleeping and meals

Expect the very finest - from elegant inns to regional gemsWhat if our hideaway in the Tuscan hills was a medieval monastery converted into an opulent inn? Or if you found yourself slumbering in a historic Irish castle once home to one of the country’s most renowned families? If you could waken to a view of Costa Rica’s sparkling Nicoya Peninsula from your luxurious bungalow, or watch the sun dip below a Provencal horizon from the terrace of your hotel? At Backroads, we spend as much time finding the perfect retreats and accommodations as we do researching our routes. Ones that pamper you with luxury or entice you with regional charm. Where gracious innkeepers and staff welcome you after a day of activity with warm greetings and old-world hospitality. For us, the day doesn’t end once you’re off your bike or back from the trail—a new experience, in fact, is just beginning.

Join us at our tableAt Backroads, we’ve found the perfect balance between fueling the spirit and feeding the soul. To us, exploring a region is as much about celebrating its cuisine as it is about appreciating its natural beauty and cultural wonders.No matter where we travel, we seek out the region’s finest dining experiences. It may be a multicourse meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant or a generations-old specialty served at a favorite family-run trattoria. A glorious California Wine Country picnic or a basket of freshly baked pastries greeting you at the breakfast table. Just be sure to bring your appetite.

Other Information

The best leaders in the worldOur claim of having the best leaders is not made lightly. It’s backed by the most rigorous selection process and in-depth training in the business. We look for individuals who possess an intuitive understanding of exceptional service, and the knowledge that comes from extensive travel. We then build on their talents with hundreds of hours of world-class training in both our home office and out in the field, helping to expand their understanding of a region’s culture, natural history, wine and food. And it doesn’t stop there. We continue to invest in our Trip Leaders with ongoing career development. Which means you’re likely to benefit from the knowledge of a Trip Leader who has over five years of experience in the field.The end result? Trips that unfold seamlessly. And Trip Leaders who have an unrivaled knack for inspiring fun, fostering camaraderie and creating an environment that lets you take it easy or embark on new challenges with equal comfort. Leaders who enrich your experience by sharing subtleties of the local culture and an insider’s knowledge of the region. Who orchestrate picnics to please all the senses. Who are rated—literally—“off the charts” more often than not by our guests And who deliver the vacation of a lifetime—every time.

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